Centrifugal can spinning frames



Oct. 25, 1960 A. GARDELLA 2,957,301

CENTRIFUGAL CAN SPINNING FRAMES Filed Jan. 15, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Oct. 25, 1960 A. GARDELLA 2,957,301

CENTRIFUGAL CAN SPINNING FRAMES Filed Jan. 13, .1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gINVENTOR United States Patent CENTRIFUGAL CAN SPINNING FRAMES AdrianoGardella, 11 Piazza della Vittoria, Genoa, Italy Filed Jan. 13, 1958,Ser. No. 708,484

Claims priority, application Italy Jan. 19, 1957 17 Claims. (Cl. 57-36)This invention relates to improvements in sliver twisting and yarnspinning devices in centrifugal can spinning frames. Hitherto in suchspinning frames, when the sliver or yarn broke accidentally or wassevered on discharging a full cheese from the can or pot, the mechanismwas stopped by automatic stopping devices and manual manipulation wasnecessary to feed the sliver or yarn into the can before the mechanismcould be restarted. Since the sliver or yarn had to be hand-threadedthrough a thread guide, whether the guide was mounted on a rotatable candisposed in reciprocating bearings or the guide reciprocated while thecan rotated, and since breakages were not always infrequent, thesebreakages substantially increased the cost of operating centrifugal canspinning frames.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a sliver-twistingor yarn-spirming device for use in centrifugal can spinning frames inwhich the twisting or spinning is automatically restarted after anaccidental or voluntary break.

Further, in known can spinning frames, the twist imparted to the threadby the centrifugal spinning can extends upwardly to the delivery rollersof the drafting unit and this upward propagation of the twisting,particularly where friction surfaces are provided in the thread guide,may be incomplete and thus, in the proximity of the drafting unit, thetwist is less than at the lower end of the thread guide. Another objectof the invention is to provide some pre-twisting in the guide in thesame direction as the twist imparted by the spinning can to provide asubstantially uniform twist along the whole thread section between thedelivery rollers of the drafting unit and the outlet end of the threadguide and compensating for the partial decrease of the twist in theupward direction.

Also in known can spinning frames, in order to start the spinningoperation, it is necessary to hang a previously twisted thread sectionfrom the drafting unit for feeding manually into the mechanism beforestarting each spinning operation. It is a further object of thisinvention to obviate the necessity for this step thus greatly speedingup the starting operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a suction force on thesliver or yarn to aid its automatic movement into the thread guide thusfurther reducing time and labor involved in starting the spinningoperation.

According to the present invention a method of twisting sliver orspinning yarn by centrifugal can spinning includes delivering the sliveror yarn from a drafting device into a pre-twist thread-guide rotating inthe same angular direction as the can to impart an initial twist intothe sliver or yarn, causing the initially twisted sliver or yarn toenter the can after leaving the pre-twist thread guide and twisting thesliver or spinning the yarn in the can in the same direction as theinitial twist imparted thereto in the pre-twist thread guide.

The invention further comprehends apparatus for twisting sliver orspinning yarn in a centrifugal can spinning frame comprising a rotatablepre-twist thread guide 2,957,301 Patented Oct. 25, 1960 disposed withits inlet in close proximity to the delivery rollers of the draftingdevice so as to receive the sliver or yarn from the drafting device, anda device by which rotation can be imparted to the pre-twist threadguide, whereby, at least after a break in the sliver or yarn hasoccurred, the pre-twist thread guide can be rotated in the samedirection as the rotation of the can to twist the sliver or yarn beforeit reaches the can so that twisting of the sliver or spinning of theyarn in the can will start automatically.

In a preferred construction the device for imparting rotation to thepre-twist thread guide is arranged to drive the guide continuously inthe same angular direction as thecan during spinning and to re-startspinning automatically after a break has occurred in the sliver or yarn.The pre-twist thread guide is preferably tubular or annular incross-section perpendicular to its axis.

A funnel-shaped non-rotatable mouth piece is disposed with its sliverreceiving mouth disposed to receive the sliver or yarn directly from thedelivery rollers of the drafting device while its outlet is disposed todeliver the sliver or yarn directly into the inlet of the pre-twistthreadguide.

According to the invention, this mouthpiece may be provided with aprojecting lip co-acting with a feeler for detecting any jamming ofsliver in the mouthpiece and stopping the operation of the drafting andspinning unit.

In one preferred construction the rotatable pre-twist thread guide ismounted on a spinning can reciprocably mountable in the spinning frame.In an alternative construction the rotatable pre-twist threadguide ismounted in bearings in the spinning frame above a reciprocable threadguide, means being provided to telescope the reciprocable threadguidewith respect to the pre-twist guide durin spinning or twisting. In thelatter construction the two guides may be co-axial tubular membersdisposed one above the other, the upper tubular member being rotatablebut not reciprocable and constituting the pre-twist guide, while thelower tubular member is vertically reciprocable outside the upper memberand projects into the spinning can.

Where two thread guides are provided one telescoping within the other inoperation the reciprocable thread guide may be non-rotatable or idlyrotatable; alternatively the reciprocable thread guide is rotatable inwhich case it is provided with drive means whereby it may be rotated atthe same angular speed as the spinning can non-reciprocable pre-twistthreadguide.

A suction fan may be mounted beneath the can in the frame whereby inspinning air is induced through the ..hread guide in the direction ofmovement of the sliver or yarn therethrough to assist the automaticmovement of the sliver or yarn into and through the thread guides. Thefan may be mounted on or incorporated in the lower end of the spinningcan and means may be provided for securely coupling the fan-carryingmember to the can.

Stabilizers may be provided on the reciprocable threadguide whenprovided and/ or on the pre-twist thread guide to smooth the sides ofthe thread in at least two directions, and such stabilizers may comprisefriction surfaces disposed to engage the thread passing through thepretwist guide during spinning.

The above and other objects and characteristic features of theinvention, as will fully appear from the following specification aredescribed by way of a preferred nonl-i-miting example in the followingspecification taken with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

Figures 1 and 2 show together a vertical section of a centrifugal canspinning unit embodying the invention, Figure 1 showing the uppersection of the unit from the drafting unit-to and including thepre-twisting thread- .guide, while Figure 2 shows the lower section ofthe same unit to and including supporting members of the "closure bottomplate of the spinning can, and

Figures 3 and 4 are transverse horizontal sections on lines III-III andIVIV of Figure :1,

In the drawings, 1 is a bell-shaped centrifugal spinning c'an'which issuspended from the fixed supporting member 2 by its bored neck 101 whichis rotatably mounted ,in a pair of spaced'ball bearings 3 mounted in twocoaxial superposed bushings 4, 5 which are connected together by meansof upright posts 6. The lower bushing 4 is provided with spaced lugs 104and is inserted in a hole 102 of the supporting member 2 provided withsimilarly spaced inwardly projecting brackets 202 on H which thelugs-104 may bear. 7

On the can neck 101 between the bearings 3 a pulley 8 is mounted whichis driven by belt 9 and drives the spinning can. Due to this arrangementof. the pulley 8 between two bearings, an inclination of the canaxis'due to theside pulling of the belt 9 is avoided. To the uppersupporting bushing 5 a cover plate 10 is fastened, The above describedconstruction permits an easy and quick mounting and dismount-mg of thecan 1 by inserting the fbushings '4," 5 from below through the hole102by causing the lugs 104 to move through the spaces between thebracket members 202 and then rotating the can :until the lugs 104 comein alignment with thebrackets 202 to which they are fastened by means ofscrews 7.

The spinning can 1 is closed at its bottom end by a co-axial counterplate 11 idly rotatable on a supporting as to open the can 1 and topermit the discharging of the cheese 14.

" The plate 11 is mounted beneath the can 1 on the upper end of avertical shaft 16 with vthe interposition of aresilient bushing 15 whichallows small oscillations of the plate with respect tothe shaft 16, thuscompensating for possible small misalignments between the shaft 16 andthe superposed can 1.

The shaft 16 is idly rotatable in a pair of bearings 17 mounted in asleeve 18 which is slidable in a cylinder 19 [fastened to the supportingmember 12 as by screws 20 passing through its flanges. The sleeve 18 isprovided with vertical slots 22 through which the ends of screws 21pass, which are screwed radially through bushing 19 thus permittingsmall axial movements of the bushing and attached parts. Between thebottom plate 118 of the slid-able sleeve 18 and the bottom closure 119of. the fixed bushing 19 a spring 23 is inserted which pushes both thesleeve 19 and shaft 16 upwardly and V elastically'presses the plate 11against the can 1, when another co-acting friction ring 23 on the edgeof the plate 11. The lining 24 is preferably made of a fibrous materialsuch as that known under the trade name of fFerodo and is made ofasbestos embedded in a good synthetic resin wh-ile the lining 23 ispreferably made of at fibrous material embedded in a synthetic resinwhich is suitably elastic as to slightly expand itself radially underthe centrifugal force generated by the spinning of the can 1 and isloosely applied on the plate 11 so as to permit said expansion. Thus,during spinning,

.the lining 23 by expanding itself, is pressed against the lining ring24 thus ensuring a good ftictioncoupling be tween the can 1 and theplate 11. Both linings 23 and 24 are easily changeable, when worn out. I

The coupling between can 1 and plate 11 is furthe improved by fasteningon said plate 11, and preferably on its lming ring 23, a number of pinsor screws having projecting heads 25 which a short time after thebeginning of the spinning, remain encased in the bottom of the cheese 14formed in the can 1 and thus provide a kind of claw coupling.

In a central portion of the plate 1 1 a number of holes 26 are providedand on the lower face of the same plate fan blades 227 are fitted whichare so shaped and arranged as to induce an air suction through the holes26 of the contained in said can and consequently, in the thread guide39, when the can is rotated.

The thread F in the spinning can 1 is formed by twisting a sliver Ndelivered by the delivery rollers 127 of a drafting unit generallyindicated at 27.

Just below the said delivery rollers 127 a fixed funnelshaped mouthpiece28 is mounted on an arm 130 projecting from the machine frame 30 as at29. Close to the outlet of said mouth piece a rotatable tubular threadguide 31 is mounted, which shall be called the pre-twist thread guide.This pre-twist thread guide is only rotatable about its own axis. and isrotated either continuously, or at the starting of each spinningoperation, in

the same direction as the can 1. Said guide 31 is rotatably mounted inbearing 32 fitted in a bushing 33 fastened as by screws 34 under themouthpiece 28. The upper part 131 of said p're-twisting thread guide 31projects above the supporting bushing 33 and shaped as a grooved pulleyover which a driving belt 35 is entrained. On the upper surface of saidpulley 131 concentricribs are provided between which a circular rib isdisposed which projects downwardly from a flange 128 of the fixed funnel28, so that a kind of labyrinth joint 36 is formed. Inside of thepre-twisting thread guide 31 a helical rib 37 is provided which projectstowards the axis of said thread guide so as to leave at the center ofthe guide 'a narrow bore 28 through which the thread F passes. The inneredge of said helical ribs 37 constitutes a friction surface which actson all the sides of the thread F being formed, and smooths same.

On the lower section of said pre-twist guide 31 an axially slidable,co-axial distributing thread guide 39 is telescoped, the lower sectionof which is slidably mounted into the spinning can 1 by passing throughits tubular neck 101. Said distributing thread guide 39 is mounted on areciprocating supporting member 40, the stroke of which is such as toreciprocate the outlet end 139 of the thread guide between the insidebottom end to the top end of the can 1.

Thread guide 39 is idly rotatably mounted in bearings 42. By thisarrangement recoiling of the thread F in the lower end of the guide 39is avoided whenever an obstacle such as a large knot entangles itselfwithin the helical rib 37, thus stopping or intercepting the threadpassage. In fact, in such event the thread F would be tensioned betweenthe outlet 139 of reciprocating thread guide 39 and theche ese 14 in thecan 1 and, if the thread guide 39 were not rotatable, the thread woulduncoil itself from .the cheese 14 and, due to the spinning of the can 1,would recoil itself on the said thread guide 39. This does not happenwith an idly rotatable thread guide 39 because in'such event the threadguide 39 is entrained into rotation by the same can, substantially atthe same angular speed.

In order to avoid the entraining of the distributing thread guide 39into rotation during the normal spinning, due to the friction of thethread F on its outlet end 139, braking means are provided, such as asmall cylindrical flange 239 fitted on its upper end and on which asmall brake shoe 43 is pressed by a spring 44 whose force may beadjusted by a screw 45.

Between the reciprocating thread guide 39 and the neck 101 of thespinning can 1 a bearing 46 is inserted in which said thread guide 39 isslidably mounted centered with respect to the can. Said bearing 46further closes the can neck 101 all around the reciprocating threadguide 39. Above the supporting bearings of the said reciprocating threadguide 39 a fixed cover 146 is fitted, which is provided with a centralbore through which passes with a very small clearance the pre-twistguide 31. Due to the described arrangement of labyrinth joints 36 andthe provision of said cover 146, the suction generated into the can 1 bythe fan 227 is induced without appreciable loss through both threadguides 31, 39 up to the mouthpiece 28. Between the supporting member 33of the pre-twist guide 31 and the movable supporting member 4!] of thereciprocating thread guide 39 as well as between said supporting member40 and the fixed upper can-supporting bushing 5, tubular bellows 47 and48 are provided. The operation of the above described devices is asfollows:

It should be mentioned, that in order to start the centrifugal spinning,the end of the sliver must have been already pretwisted. In case ofbreaking of the thread F during the spinning, the sliver N delivered bythe rollers 127 is sucked through the funnel 28 into the rotatablepre-twist thread guide 31 and, by coming into contact with the saidrotatable thread guide, is subjected to a pre-twisting, in the samedirection as the final spinning, so that when this pre-twisted slivercomes into the spinning can 1 it is immediately spun. Thus the piecingof the broken thread takes place in a completely automatic manner. Dueto this automatic starting of the spinning, whenever in the pro-twistingguide a length of pre-twisted sliver is present it is no longernecessary to take special arrangements or precautions for severing thethread end each time a cheese is formed but it is sufficient to stop thedrafting unit 27 during the last revolution of the can 1, thus promotingthe breaking of the thread F beyond the delivery rollers 127. It may bementioned that the friction members such as the helical ribs 37 in therotatable thread guide serve also for imparting a supplementary twist tothe thread being formed, thus compensating for the partial losses oftwist due to the propagation of the torsion imparted to the thread Ffrom the can 1 upwardly to the drafting unit 27.

The just described device is provided with means for stopping theoperation of the drafting unit whenever at the starting of each spinningoperation, the sliver N is not regularly sucked into the thread guidesand jams itself into the mouthpiece 28. For this purpose the mouthpieceis provided at one side with a projecting lip 228 in front of which, butbeyond the axis of the thread guide 31, a feeler 49 is arranged whichprojects on one of a double armed swinging lever 50 fulcrumed at 150 onthe machine frame 30. During the normal operation, the sliver N does nottouch the feeler 49 and thus the lever 50 remains in rest position asshown by full lines in Figure 1. When however a jamming of sliver Noccurs in the mouthpiece 28, the abutment member is shifted by thepressure of the jammed sliver towards the right hand side in Figure 1and thus the lever 50 is caused to swing and, by this swinging itoperates a drafting unit-stopping device, which may be of any suitableyp In the example as shown, this device comprises a double armed leverfulcrumed at 151 to the machine frame and one end of which is in theform of a pawl 51 adapted to co-act a ratchet wheel 53 so as to stopsame, while the other end is provided with a counterweight 52 whichtends to unbalance the lever in ratchet stopping position. On thecounterweight lever arm a rigid link 54 is hinged which is slidablymounted in substantially vertical direction, for example by means of aslotand-pin coupling 55. When the counterweight 52 is suitably lifted soas to disengage the pawl 51 from the ratchet wheel 53, the lower end ofthe link 54- is adapted to bear on the suitably formed upper end 250 ofsaid swinging lever 50 thus holding the counterweight 52 lifted and thepawl 51 in a disengaged position. When however due to jamming of thesliver in the funnel 28 the abutment member is shifted towards theright, in the position shown by dash and dot lines in Figure 1, the topend 250 of said lever 50 moves out of its counterweight supportingposition below the end of link 54. Thus the link is allowed to falldown, by action of the weight 52 until the pawl 51 engages one tooth ofthe ratchet wheel 53, thus stopping the rotation thereof.

This ratchet wheel 53 may be connected to any device which promotes thestopping of the drafting unit whenever the ratchet wheel 53 is stopped.

From the foregoing it is apparent that a simple and reliable device hasbeen provided for atomatically restarting the spinning each time thesliver or the thread is broken even after the spinning can is emptiedwithout particular care, and for stopping the drafting unit each timejamming at the mouthpiece of the thread guides occurs.

It is also apparent that any mechanical equivalent will be possiblewithout departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is the following:

1. In a spinning frame, at least one centrifugal can spinning unitincluding a rotatable spinning can, a rotatable thread guide forinserting pre-twist into the sliver and disposable with its inlet inclose proximity to the delivery rollers of a drafting assembly toreceive a sliver therefrom and with its outlet within said can, andmeans for constantly rotating said thread guide to twist the sliverbefore it reaches the can whereby upon a break in the sliver the brokensliver end will be pretwisted and spinning will automatically beginagain in said can.

2. A sliver twisting device according to claim 1 wherein the pres-twistthread guide is tubular and of annular cross section perpendicular tothe path of the sliver therethrough.

3. A sliver twisting device according to claim 1 wherein a funnel shapednon-rotatable mouthpiece is disposable with its sliver receiving mouthclose to the delivery rollers of a drafting device and its outlet isclose to the inlet of the rotatable pre-twist thread guide.

4. In a spinning frame, at least one centrifugal can spinning unitincluding a rotatable spinning can, a rotatable thread guide forinserting pre-twist into the sliver and disposable with its inlet inclose proximity to the delivery rollers of a draft-ing assembly toreceive a sliver therefrom and with its outlet within said can, andmeans for constantly rotating said thread guide to twist the sliverbefore it reaches the can whereby upon a break in, the sliver the brokensliver end will be pretwisted and spinning will automatically beginagain in said can, said rotating means being arranged to drive the guidecontinuously in the same angular direction as the cam during spinningand after a break has occurred in the sliver.

5. In a spinning frame, at least one centrifugal can spinning unitincluding a rotatable spinning can, a rotatable thread guide forinserting pre-twist into the sliver and disposable with its inlet inclose proximity to the delivery rollers of a drafting assembly toreceive a sliver therefrom and with itsoutlet within said can, and meansfor constantly rotating said thread guide to twist the sliver before itreaches the can whereby upon a break in the sliver the broken sliver endwill be pretwisted and spinning will automatically begin again in saidcam, the rotatable pre-twist thread guide including a reciprocatingthread guide, and means being provided for telescoping the reciprocablethread guide with respect to the pretwist thread guide during operationof the spinning frame.

6. A sliver twisting device according to claim 5 wherein thereciprocable thread guide is provided with the before it reaches the canwhereby-upon a break in the sliver the broken sliver end will bepretwisted and spinning will automatically begin again in said can, twocoaxial tubular members being provided telescopable one within theother, the upper tubular mmnber being rotatable but non-reciprocable andforming the pre-twist thread guide, while the lower tubular member alsoforms a thread guide and projects into the spinning can and isvertically reciprocable outside the'upper tubular member.

8. In a spinning frame, at least one centrifugalcan spinning unitincluding a rotatable spinning can, a rotatable thread guide forinserting pre-twist into the sliver and disposable with its inlet inclose proximity to the delivery rollers of a drafting assembly toreceive a sliver therefrom and with its outlet within said can, andmeans for constantly rotating said thread guide to twist the sliverbefore it reaches the can whereby upon a break in the sliver the brokensliver end will be pretwisted and spin- 7 ning air is induced throughthe thread guide in the direction of movement of the sliver or yarntherethrough to assist the automatic movement of the sliver or yarn intoand through the thread-guide. i

9. A sliver twisting device according to claim 8 wherein the fan ismounted in the lower end of the spinning can. t

10. In a centrifugal can spinning frame mounted at the delivery end of asliver-drafting unit delivering a sliver into a funnel-shapednon-rotatable mouthpiece having sliver-receiving mouth and a coaxialoutlet; and disposed with its sliver-receiving mouth close to thedelivery rollers. of said drafting unit; a rotatable pre-twist threadguide mounted close to said outlet and pretwisting the sliver coming outof said mouthpiece and forming a pretwisted thread; means for rotatingsaid pre-twist thread 7 guide; an idly rotatable reciprocating threadguide mounted beneath the said pre-twistthread guide with its upper csection telescoping with respect to thellower section of said pre-t-wistthread guide and with its lower section provided with an outlet end; asuspended positively driven centrifugal spinning can provided with ahollow neck having a bore through which the lower section of the saidreciprocating thread guide passes and is so driven axially that itsoutlet end is reciprocated between the inside top and bottom of the can;means for inducing a suction through said thread guides and mouthpiecefor sucking the said. sliver and pre-twisted thread into the said can;-a lip projecting upwardly from one side of said funnel-shapedmouthpiece; a feeler arranged in front of said lip beyond the axis ofsaid mouthpieceiand movable away from said lip when a jamming in themouthpiece occurs and means acted upon by said feeler, when same issufficiently shifted away from said lip, for stopping the operationofthe said drafting unit.

V 11 A centrifugal can spinning frame according to claim 10, in whichthe said feeler is attached to. the. end of a double-armed lever, theother arm of which controls the means for stopping the drafting unit. 7

12. A centrifugal can-spinning frame according to claim 10 in which thesaid feeler is attached to the lower end of a substantially verticaldouble-armed lever; a substantially horizontal double-armed leverarranged above-the top end of said vertical double-armed lever andcarrying at one end a counterweight and at the other end a stop pawl; aratchet wheel in the path of said pawl connected to the driving means ofthe drafting unit; means connecting said horizontal lever with saidvertical lever so as to keep the said pawl out of the path of theratchet wheel when the said feeler is in'rest position and forpermitting said stop pawl to snapinto the teeth of said ratchet wheelwhen said feeler is pushed out of its rest position.

13. In a centrifugal can spinning frame in which the spinning can isbell-shaped and open at its lower end,

a bottom plate shiftable towards or away'from the open end of said canso as to close and open said end; holes in the central portion of saidplate; a pre-twist thread guide above said can and projecting thereinto,means for coupling said plate to the can when in closed position, andfan blades fitted to the lower side of said plate for inducing a suctionthrough said holes in the said plate and through the overlying can andthread guide when (the pl-ate'closes said'end to such a mouthpiece, soas to suck said sliver and pretwisted thread into the spinning can. 14.In a centrifugal can spinning frame according to claim 13, thearrangement of a bellow-shaped tubular member tightly enclosing the saidpre-twist thread guide and a second bellow-shaped tubular member tightlyenclosing the part of said reciprocating thread guide which projects outof said spinning can.

15. A centrifugal can spinning frame according to claim 13, in which thesaid plate which closes-the bottom end of said can is provided with aperipheral friction lining made of fibrous material embedded in aresilient synthetic resin; a friction lining fitted into the spinningcan end so as to co act with said lining on said plate forming afriction coupling, the said lining on said plate being such as to expanditself under the centrifugal force and to adhere firmly against thelining in said cam.

16. A centrifugal can spinning frame according to claim 13 in whichprojecting heads are provided on said plate in a peripheral positionwhich, when the thread cheese is formed in the can, cometo be embeddedinto the base of said cheese and assist in the coupling of said platewith the centrifugal can.

17. A centrifugal can spinning unit comprising a drafting section, arotatable guide tube adjacent said section and positioned to receivesliver therefrom, means in said tube for pretwisting the sliverextending therethrough, a spinning can having a closed bottom andsurrounding the lower end of said tube, means for causing a downwarddraft through said tube, and openings in the bottom of said can forrelieving the draft without producing turbulent flow within the can.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

